


Clockwork Latte

by minhakos



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-24 21:42:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20021497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minhakos/pseuds/minhakos
Summary: His favorite regular customer comes into the coffee shop every day like clockwork, and always makes Mao's heart skip a beat.





	Clockwork Latte

**Author's Note:**

> coffee shop au suggested by a friend on twitter! and I will take any and all ritsumao suggestions because they're all I can seem to write now... (dumb title is dumb I hope y'all realize titles are what I'm worst at!)

“Isara-kun, he just walked in.”

Lifting his head, Mao gives a nod in response. He quickly shoves his phone into his pocket and stands up, pulling his apron over his head. His gaze drifts to the clock on the wall as he smooths out the fabric.

It’s two in the afternoon, and his regular is here.

_ Just like clockwork. _

He sighs as he makes his way out of the breakroom, running his fingers through his bangs before pulling a clip from his pocket and securing his hair so it’s out of his face. His boss always tells him to just get a haircut, but Mao can’t seem to find it in him to do that. His regular says he likes his hair as it is, so.

Mao steps up to the counter, a small smile on his lips. The line isn’t too long, and only a few customers back is the black-haired male who always comes in at this time. He tries to tell himself that the sight of him doesn’t make Mao happy, but he knows he’s lying to himself.

After he takes the orders of the other customers in line, Ritsu steps up.

“Mao~”

“Good afternoon, Sakuma-san! I’ll be with you in a moment!”

Ritsu just nods and watches as Mao moves around behind the counter, making the drinks for the previous customers.

Mao never wanted to work in a coffee shop--he’s far too busy for a part-time job, honestly. Not only is he the class representative, he’s also on the student council. And while all the positions are filled, the president seems to enjoy giving Mao most of the work. He has no time to join a club, or really explore a hobby.

But he decided to help with expenses, so a part-time job was necessary. And Mao’s good with people, or at least he thinks he is, so a coffee shop close to his house was the best choice.

And working at the coffee shop let him meet Sakuma Ritsu, so even though he’s tired and definitely overworked, it’s worth it.

Mao places the finished drinks on the counter and calls out the customers’ names before he’s back by the register to greet his favorite customer once again.

“Sorry for the wait!”

“It’s fine~” Ritsu smiles the same soft, tired smile he shows Mao every day. And though Mao wonders if the other is as overworked as he is, he finds comfort in the simplicity of Ritsu and his smile.

“Same thing as always, I assume?”

It’s a dumb question that he asks every single day.

Ritsu always answers ‘yes.’

He’s clearly a creature of habit. He comes into the coffee shop every day at the same time, and always orders the same thing. Maybe once or twice he’s ordered a pastry to go along with his drink, but it’s only when Mao bothers to suggest that Ritsu should eat something because he can see the bags under his eyes. Ritsu looks like he never sleeps, but also looks like he sleeps all day long. Mao wonders what his life is like, wants to know more about him, but just considering the fact that he’s interested in the male that way makes him too embarrassed to ever ask.

Maybe today he’ll try a bit harder, though.

“How has your day been, Sakuma-san?”

The question leads to Ritsu staring at him, and an awkward silence settles between them, even though the other customers in the shop are quite loud. Mao can feel his palms getting sweaty.

_ Is he not gonna answer? _

It seems like he’s not, so Mao quickly punches in Ritsu’s normal order and asks for Ritsu’s card. The other hands it to him silently, not speaking until Mao’s about to ask if he needs a receipt.

“Ritsu.”

“Huh?” Mao blinks, unsure why Ritsu is saying his own name.

“Stop calling me Sakuma-san,” Ritsu pouts, taking his credit card back when Mao hands it to him. “Call me Ritsu.”

Mao’s confused, and Ritsu can clearly see it.

“I want Mao to call me Ritsu.”

Ritsu’s leaning in, practically pressed against the counter as he stares into Mao’s eyes. In turn, Mao can’t help but lean back ever so slightly as a strange wave of embarrassment hits him. He has no idea why his customer would want him to address him so casually--they hardly know each other. Mao’s interactions with Ritsu are limited to the short moments every day where Ritsu would place his order, and sometimes he’d catch Ritsu looking his way.

But they never speak outside of that short moment every day.

Ritsu calls Mao by his first name though. He had started doing so only a week after Mao had gotten the job at the coffee shop. Mao had been confused at first, but quickly grew used to it.

He doesn’t know if he can get used to calling Ritsu by his first name though.

Mao clears his throat, rubbing at the back of his neck. “But I don’t know you that well, Sakuma-san. I wouldn’t want to be too overly familiar…”

Mao does  _ want  _ to get to know Ritsu better though. But he’s working, he’s always working when he sees Ritsu, and that’s not really the time or place for him to be ignoring his duties to make a new friend.

And though it’s not what Mao intended, Ritsu is clearly mad (maybe sad?) that Mao declined his request. He stares at the barista before stepping to the side to wait for his drink. Mao wants to say something, anything, to him, to change the expression on Ritsu’s face because his heart hurts now as he looks at the frown that’s replaced the smile Mao loves, but there’s more customers in line now and the last thing he needs is to get in trouble at work.

By the time the line has thinned out and he’s made all the requested drinks, Ritsu is gone from the shop, much to Mao’s disappointment.

_ I wasn’t being rude, was I…? _

Mao spends the rest of his shift, and the rest of his evening, mulling over this question. Mao doesn’t call many people by their given names in the first place. He knows it’s likely because even though he’s very friendly, he has few people who he’s truly connected with. Against his better judgment, he always spreads himself to thin, and can never seem to make time to work on personal relationships.

But then there’s Ritsu, who hardly knows anything about Mao outside of his name and where he works. Ritsu addresses him personally and wants Mao to talk to him the same way and it’s embarrassing how much Mao likes the idea. He’s never wanted to feel as friendly with someone as he has with Ritsu.

_ Friends, huh? That’s all you want? _

That’s the thought that sticks in Mao’s head as he falls asleep.

By the time he’s heading to the coffee shop for his next shift, it’s been two days since he last saw Ritsu, and he’s been thinking about him every single moment. Mao had resolved the very next morning to talk to Ritsu more the next time they came face to face, not wanting to see anything but a smile on the other’s face.

It’s nine in the morning, and Mao has no idea how he’ll get through the next five hours when all he wants is for Ritsu to walk through the door.

When the clock strikes two and the bell on the front door chimes, Mao’s embarrassed by how excited he is. He purposely took an earlier break so that he’d be at the counter and ready to greet Ritsu, but the excitement quickly fizzles down when the person who walks through the door isn’t Ritsu.

_ That’s weird... _

The taller black-haired male who walks up to the counter smiles down at Mao, and he can’t help but think that the customer looks like Ritsu.

Mao wonders if this is what it’s like to have a crush--yes, he has a crush on Ritsu. It’s small and silly but how else could he explain how much his regular customer was on his mind?

He’s shaken from his thoughts when the customer tells him his order, and Mao has to pause for a moment, wondering if his hearing is alright.

_ Do I miss Ritsu that much? Now I’m hearing his order from other customers? _

Ritsu’s usual was not something any other normal person would order. It’s a strangely specific combination that Mao has no idea how Ritsu ever came to like. Much too specific to Ritsu for anyone else to be ordering.

“Ah, I’m sorry, sir,” Mao quickly shakes his head and smiles apologetically, “Could you repeat that?” He really needs to focus on work.

But the man did indeed order Ritsu’s usual, and Mao can only blink at him before nodding slightly. The customer chuckles.

“Mao, right?”

“Uh, yes?” How did the customer know his name? He has a name tag, sure, but the way he said it felt more like he knew his name already.

The man chuckles again and hands Mao his credit card before the barista can even ask for payment. “I’ve been curious about you.”

Now Mao is curious as well, but also slightly annoyed. It’s like the man knows something, but doesn’t plan on sharing with him.

“Excuse me?” He hands back the credit card after processing the payment, and doesn’t get any answers as the man simply takes the card and steps to the side to wait for the drink. Mao is annoyed (rightfully so!) and helps a few more customers before moving to make the requested drinks, all the while watching the door for Ritsu. He never walks in.

Only when he’s finished the strange man’s drink and is ready to call his name does Mao figure something out.

“Order for... Sakuma Rei?”

Said Sakuma Rei takes the drink from him and leaves, without saying a word.

_ His... brother, maybe? _

Another question for Mao to mull over for the rest of the day. He’s back at school the next day, just for student council duties since its summer break, and is thankful for being so busy for once. It helps him keep his mind off of Ritsu at least for a while. Not that he doesn’t want to think about Ritsu--he just doesn’t want to be distracted and miss out on something important in his student council affairs.

Mao’s next shift is the next day in the evening. He usually has morning shifts, and is currently cursing the sudden change to his schedule. Ritsu’s a two o’clock regular, so there’s no way he’ll be walking into the coffee shop at nine in the evening.

Or at least that’s what Mao thought.

With only an hour until closing, the coffee shop is mostly empty. The few customers that come in at this hour never linger for long, so Mao is pretty much alone with his thoughts. He thinks about Ritsu, about how it’s been at least two months since he met his regular. He thinks about Ritsu’s smile when he says his name, and how Mao always finds himself smiling in return. Why had he been so stubborn about calling Ritsu by his name?

Mao thinks about Ritsu too much for him to just be ‘Sakuma-san.’

_ Speaking of Sakuma...  _

Mao still has no idea how the other Sakuma is related to Ritsu, or why he knew Mao’s name.

_ Did Ritsu mention me to him maybe...? _

He shakes his head. Now he’s thinking too much, and it’s making him annoyed. Why can’t Ritsu just show up so they can clear everything up and Mao can tell him that he wants to be his friend and call him by his name? Mao sighs, thankful that the shop is empty, and rests his head against the counter. It’s cold and feels good, especially since summer nights are hot where he lives.

“Isara-kun.”

There’s a light tapping sound next to Mao’s ear and he jolts upright, eyes wide in surprise. In front of him is Ritsu, the boy he’s been longing to see.

_...Isara-kun? _

“Sak--uh, good evening!” He almost slips up, but manages to catch himself. He wants to call Ritsu  _ Ritsu _ , not Sakuma-san. He can’t mess this up.

Ritsu smiles at him and places his hand on the counter, credit card under it. Mao can only assume that’s his way of silently telling him he wants the regular order. He starts putting the order into the computer, but pauses.

_ Now or never, Mao. _

“Would you like anything else? Uh, there’s some pastries and cake left!” Mao rambles for a moment, listing off the desserts they still have, and some that they’ve sold out of for the day. He just hopes Ritsu will say yes to one of them, any of them, and stay a bit longer. He doesn’t notice how Ritsu chuckles softly in response.

“I’ll take whatever you recommend~”

Mao swallows and nods his head, standing there blankly for a moment before quickly moving to pick something for Ritsu. “Do you like strawberries? The strawberry cake is really good here. We still have a slice or two--”

“I’ll take two.”

“Got it!”

He places the slices on a plate, giving Ritsu no choice but to dine in. Mao doesn’t do it on purpose, but he’s definitely glad he did.

“Here you are,” he places the plate on the counter next to Ritsu’s hand. “Let me just whip up your drink.”

“Thank you,” Ritsu pauses, watching Mao, “Isara-kun.”

_ Isara-kun. He definitely said it. _

Mao doesn’t like the sound of it, not when Ritsu calling him by his first name sounds so much better. Was this revenge against Mao for refusing to call Ritsu by his first name? It sure felt like it. Mao definitely feels disappointed--mostly in himself.

Making the drink takes no time at all (Mao could make it with his eyes closed at this point) and Mao places it on the counter next to the plate of cake. All that’s left is for Ritsu to pay, and then he’ll leave him. Well, he’ll likely go sit down, but he won’t be right in front of Mao anymore, and Mao doesn’t like that idea.

He waits, waits for Ritsu to hand him the credit card he’s holding against the counter, waits for his chance to leave. Neither seems to be happening though as Ritsu just stands there, staring at him.

“Um… hello? You need to pay.” He’s not annoyed at all, but he’s sure he sounds like he is by the way Ritsu purses his lips. He still doesn’t reply though, and Mao can’t hold it in any longer.

“Ritsu.”

The other smiles at that.

“Mao.”

Mao’s embarrassed, and rubs at his neck while tapping on the counter.

“So, uh, gonna pay?”

“Only if Mao will sit and share some cake with me~”

_ So that’s why he asked for two slices. _

He knows he shouldn’t, he’s on the clock after all, but they’re the only two people in the shop. It was close to closing so it wasn’t likely anyone would be coming in. Nobody would have to know.

Mao quickly nods his head then taps Ritsu’s hand. “Yeah, yeah, now give me your card already.”

“Impatient.” Mao giggles at this and lifts his hand from the counter, revealing not just his credit card, but also a slip of paper that looks to have something written on it. Mao is too curious not to look and ignores the card for the paper, picking it up and unfolding it. Written in messy handwriting is a phone number that Mao can only assume belongs to Ritsu.

Mao’s sure his cheeks are red and he lifts his gaze to meet Ritsu’s.

“I wanna get to know Mao.”

“Y-Yeah,” Mao chuckles and quickly slips the piece of paper into his pocket. He then proceeds to take the credit card and finish the transaction. “I wanna get to know you too, Ritsu.”

Ritsu’s grin is impossibly wide, and he grabs both his drink and the plate of sweets before shuffling over to a nearby table.

“That’s what I was hoping you’d say~”

**Author's Note:**

> it's hiiiiiighly likely there'll be a companion piece to this from ritsu's side. I can't seem to write ritsumao that focuses on both of them--it's always one or the other rip.


End file.
